In years past, the game has brought with it an ugly side.
Numerous fights in the stands and arrests became as much of the
game-day landscape as LaDainian Tomlinson's touchdown runs.

But a strong presence by the San Diego Police Department and
Elite Security has lessened the severity of the unruly behavior,
although a handful of scuffles were still seen in the capacity
crowd Sunday. Other measures include cutting off alcohol sales at
halftime instead of the fourth quarter.

Police officials said late Sunday that they did not yet have
figures on how many arrests had been made.

Still, the game brings with an energy not felt during the other
seven regular-season home games. When asked for a prediction before
the game, Gonzales offered this: "Twenty fights and one stabbing.
Oh, the game -- 34-21, Raiders."

It's the possibility of brawls that keeps some Chargers fans
away. And that works for Raiders fans, who scour craigslist, eBay
and other Web sites to score tickets. While every Chargers game is
sold out this season, that doesn't stop the Raiders faithful from
finding a way in.

An estimated 35 percent of the crowd was cheering for
Oakland.

The passion between the organizations began in 1960 when the two
teams were original members of the upstart American Football
League. The Raiders hailed from Oakland, with the Chargers based in
Los Angeles.

The Chargers moved to San Diego in 1961; the Raiders to Los
Angeles in 1982, then back to Oakland in 1995. The Raiders' stint
in L.A. only intensified the teams' dislike for each other.

"It's that California rivalry," said Oceanside's Brian Goldberg,
a Chargers fan flipping a hot hunk of tri-tip on his barbecue.

The meat of this story? The coals of the Chargers-Raiders
rivalry never cools.